Children of Military Parents Harrassed by Teachers

LadyEagle · Mar 2, 2003

NEW YORK — Children of military parents across Maine are being harassed in school, in some cases by teachers who claim the little ones' mothers and fathers are wrong to fight for their country, according to families' complaints.

Parents in at least five different locations have alleged that their children were subjected to verbal abuse, some of it from teachers "saying the war on Iraq is unethical," said Maine National Guard spokesman Maj. Pete Rogers.

"Family members were coming in saying their children were subjected to some abuse at school," said Maj. Rogers. "The kids were already suffering from losing a parent. We were very concerned with what's going on."

Supporters of the U.S. military expressed outrage at the stories of harassment, first reported by a local Maine television station.

"Any teacher who harasses a child for the job their parents do to protect all of us and our freedom should be fired, and as far as I'm concerned, deported," said Marc Curtis, Webmaster for www.military-brats.com. "They are supposed to be teaching, not brainwashing," he added.

"It's just beyond contempt -- what kind of person treats a vulnerable seven-year-old this way?" asked Joe Katzman, site administrator for www.windsofchange.net, where many readers have voiced their concerns over the issue. "Why is this kind of abuse tolerated?"

The complaints have been filed at Guard Family Assistance Centers in the cities of Augusta, Bangor, Calais, Caribou and Portland, and prompted the state's top educator to fire off a letter to superintendents and principals.

"I am asking you to remind school personnel that these are difficult times for our nation and that the families of military personnel need our sensitivity," Maine Education Commissioner J. Duke Abanese wrote in a letter on Tuesday.

Abanese said that although most educators are being careful in their teaching about America's response to a possible war in Iraq, some had been "less than sensitive" to military families.

"Ensuring the emotional and physical safety of all of Maine's students is first and foremost on all of our minds," said the letter, which urged schools to provide balanced information about the conflict and heed the physical needs of military children and families.
Click to expand...

Link

Except for Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism and Communism, War Has Never Solved Anything

Free Voices of Iraq

Abiyah · Mar 2, 2003

Thank you. Initially, I wondered how this could
happen, then I remembered how I was harassed
because we had moved from California to
Mississippi in 1958, and the teachers thought
my parents were white agitators. I was harassed,
all right. Listed as a trouble-maker from the start,
because I had a very had time adjusting to the
South, even though I was only a third-grader.

Had the move been from Mississippi to California,
it would have been the same -- maybe worse!

But the message is about these children, not
about me. What do you suggest we can do to
help these children through this, not being a
teacher? I would be interested in ideas.

Peter101 · Mar 4, 2003

It is curious that several places in Maine are involved and not any other states. Maybe someone has an ax to grind and that the whole story is not being told?

Ben W · Mar 4, 2003

That is really Pathetic. Why attack those who have no choice if they are sent to go and fight for their country. Whether you are in favour of war or not, lashing out at people in Military service only does you damage personally.

Children of Military Parents Harrassed by Teachers

LadyEagle <b>Moderator</b> <img src =/israel.gif>

Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

Peter101 New Member

Ben W Active Member
Site Supporter

Useful Searches

Children of Military Parents Harrassed by Teachers

LadyEagle <b>Moderator</b> <img src =/israel.gif>

Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

Peter101 New Member

Ben W Active Member Site Supporter

Ben W Active Member
Site Supporter